Control valves

ABSTRACT

This control valve associated with flush valves in plumbing systems serves as a check valve which under certain conditions prevents the flush valve from operating unintentionally and causing flooding. The control valve has a loose valve plug which is spring pressed towards its seat and is arranged to shut off the water flow as well as throttle the flow through the flush valve. The control valve therefore serves three purposes; as a shutoff valve, as a check valve to prevent back flow, and as a throttle valve, all in a single unit.

United States Patent I Inventors Henry R. Billeter Deerfield; Axel B. Nelson, Mount Prospect, Ill. Appl. No. 824,993 Filed May 15, 1969 Patented Jan. 19, 1971 Assignee Sloan Valve Company a corporation of Illinois CONTROL VALVES 13 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl l37/543.l5, 251/40, 251/83, 251/272, 251/285 Int. Cl ..F16k 15/18, F16k 17/30, F16k 31/50 Field of Search ..137/543.13,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 949,115 2/1910 Davey 251/266 1,679,898 7/1928 Gilbert 25 l/83X 1,987,843 i/l935 Svejda. 251/38X 2,634,748 4/1 953 Morrison. 251/83X 3,420,493 1/1969 Kraft 251/82 FOREIGN PATENTS 430,241 8/1911 France 251/45 Primary Examiner-William F. ODea Assistant Examiner-David R. Matthews Attorney-Parker, Carter and Markey ABSTRACT: This control valve associated with flush valves in plumbing systems serves as a check valve which under certain conditions prevents the flush valve from operating unintentionally and causing flooding. The control valve has a loose valve plug which is spring pressed towards its seat and is ar- 1 ranged to shut off the water flow as well as throttle the flow through the flush valve. The control valve therefore serves three purposes; as a shutoff valve, as a check valve to prevent back flow, and as a throttle valve, all in a single unit.

This application is in the nature of an improvement upon US. Pat. No. 3,327,992issued Jun. 27, 1967, for Control Valves.

BACKGROUND OF Ti -IE INVENTION It is well understood in the plumbing trade that flush valves for, water closets or urinals are equipped with vacuum breakers on the discharge side of the flush valve to prevent back siphonage of, the contents of the, water closet into the potable. water supply line in the event a vacuum condition c cursin, the system. There is, however, another back flow conditionwhich must be anticipated in such aplumbing system. For example, in a rnu ltistory building there are usually numbers of flush valves and associated control valves on each floor, all connected toa common water supply pipe. There are occasions when the main water supply pipe serving all the flushyal ves in the building is shut off i at the mainsupply valve in the basement and the line th'en drained. Or, there may be times when the pressure of the supply line becomes extremely low. In either event the control chamber in the flush valves will be completely drained and therefore lacks pressure to hold the flush valves, closed. Subsequently, whenfthe supply line is opened by the main line valve, the water rushes back into the, supply pipes. As aresult each one of the flush valves will then be forced open so thatthey all will be,operated1simultaneously. Since the drainagesystem for the building is not usually designed for and cannot accommodate this sudden large. influx of water allat once, the result. isthat the water backs up intothe,drains, water.closets, urinals, lava'tories, etc., and floods the. premises, causing untold damage. The water continues to flow through all,t he.flush valves butl at. a lower rate than normal, because of the resultant large drop inupressure, This low pressure is now ineffective Itocause the flush valvesto shut offand, the, flush valves continue to run. The

aboyeconditions could also occur when the supply line isshut off andflush valves on thelowerfloors are tripped. Then the flush valves on the upperfloors would ,lose their pressure and pop off, when the normal line pressure again prevailed:

Toremedy this flooding condition, the water flow to each.

one of the flush valves must flrst' be tumedoffuat the associatedmontrol valve until the pressure in themainsupply.

line is built up to normal. Then each flush valve, one at a time, must have its associated control ;valve opened to admit; the

pressure into the control chamber to cause the flush valve to I close upon its main seat. The system wili then be back to nor mal operation. Until this procedure has ,been accomplished the premises will continue to be flooded with. the resultant damage to the room and leakage to other floors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To overcome the foregoing seriousdisadvantagesthecons. trol valveof the present invention is provided with a valve plug.

that, is loose on the valve stern but is normally springpressed to seat trapping the water under pressure between the control valveand the control chamber of the flush .valve to. maintain theflus h valve in its closed position. Upon resumption .of normal pressures. in the supply pipe there willaccordingly'be no floodingdue to running flush valves, becausetthe flushvalves cannot .beforced off theirseats.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF 'I'I'IE LDRAWINGS Referring to the drawings;

FIG. 1 ,isa partial, cross section .view of a typical flush valve.

and the associated control valve of the invention FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the control valve shown in its closedposition; while FIG. 3 shows a modified form of the control valve.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, the flush valve indicated at 5 is the wellknown ROYAL" Flush Valve of the Sloan Valve Company and is connected to the associated control valve indicated at 6 by the usual tailpiece 1. The flush valve 5 has its outlet tube 8 leading into a plumbingfi'xture such as a water closet or urinal (not shown). The outlet tube 8 also, includes a vacuum breaker 9 to prevent back siphonage which may be of the type disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,334,646, issuedAug. 8, 1967, As is well known, the flush valve 5 also includes the usual flexible operating diaphragm 10.nonnally closedupon the main seat 11, and a relief valve 12;, closing upon the relief valve seat 13. The relief valve 12 hasa'stem 14 adapted to be contacted by the plunger 15 of theoperating handle 16 to tilt the head of the relief valve 12 off its seat and permit the pressure in the upper pressure chamber. 17 of the flush valve to be exhausted downward through the barrel I8 of the valve into the outlet tube 8. The inlet water flow. nowraises the diaphragm l0 and water flows downwardaround the outside 30 ofthe barrel 18' into the flush tube and theninto the plumbing fixture flushing the same.

At the same time and after the operating handle 16 is released, water passes up into the pressure chamber 17 through the bypass l9 at a relatively slow rate until the pressure chamber 17 is filled: whereby theflexible diaphragm I0 is stretched and forced. down upon its valve seat 11 to stop the discharge of'water. The-pressures are now equalized on both sideszof the diaphragm 10; but thegreater pressure: area on' top.

present, above thediaphragm in chamber I7 the flush valve will be slightly. open to water flow.

Referring now to the construction of the associated control valve-6, the brass body 20 is provided with the threaded inlet connection' ll for the water supply pipe. and 'theoutlet con nection22, attached to thepipe connection 7"of the flush valve 5;. The .valve bonnet-23 screwsinto the-valve body 20 opposite the inlet 2land carries the operating parts of the valve. A'cup shaped wheel handle 241s mounted on top of the..bonnet 23" andis secured byascrewJS-to the top end of threaded adjusting-screw. 26. The threaded screw 26 is in threaded engagement with the. valve stem 27 and this stem-in turnis axially slidable andadjustable within the guide sleeve 28to a position dependingupon the rotation of the wheel handle24: TheiO- ring29 seals ,off the interior of thevalve body 20 from the top portion. The guide sleeve 28*has a flanged portion32 clamped between the bonnet 23 and ,the top-ofthe valve body20 fonholdingit in place. A collar 33 aroundthe threaded screw 26' serves as a bearingland is clamped between the guide sleeve 28* and bonnet 23.

Arranged on andbetween the valve stem'27 'andthe-guide sleeve 28 is ,a series-of interfitting slots 35 andl'lugs 36"whichi areso constructed ,that they permit vertical adjustmentof the valve stem 27', but not rotaryadjustment; thereby rendering .the.valve operating handlei24 and screw-265nonrising. The

detailsandvoperation of-the foregoing nonrisingfeature is more clearly pointed out in applicant's aforesaid prior US, Pat. No.3,327,992;

The controlcvalvehasawalve plug 4fl arranged-in the valve body inopposition to its valve seat 41 and is'providedwith a hollow shank'portion42 within which the lower end-ofvalv'estem 27. projects; This shankportion42 is slidable upon the valve stem for a distance within the space 43 formed between the bottom endof the valve stem 27 and the bottom of the hollow shank 42.

A compression spring 44 surrounds the shank 42 and valve stem 27 and extends between the rear side 45 of the valve plug and a flange 46 on the valve stem 27 which flange also contains the O-ring 29. The valve plug 40 is loosely slidable upon the valve stem 27 and is normally urged into seating engagement with the valve seat 41 by spring 44 whenever there is either no pressure, less pressure, or a balanced pressure, on the inlet side 21, or pressures are balanced on both sides of the valve plug. In the closed position of the valve plug 40 it serves as an automatic back check to prevent reverse fluid flow.

Alternately the wheel handle 24 may be turned so that the end of the valve stem 27 contacts the bottom of the hollow shank 42 forcing the valve plug 40 into seating position and pennanently shutting off water flow. This is desirable in cases where it is necessary to repair the flush valve 5. The counter bore 47 around the valve seat 41 assists in quieting the water flow at higher flow rates. The valve plug 40 has an outer rubber seating surface 50 to provide better sealing qualities and also assists in reducing sound levels.

Under ordinary service conditions and when the flush valve is operated, water flow under pressure through the supply inlet 21, forces valve plug 40 off of valve seat 41, as shown in FIG. 1. The extent of this movement and valve opening is determined by the adjustment of the wheel handle 24 when the bottom of the hollow shank 42 contacts the end of the valve stem 27. This adjustment is made to control the flow rate to the flush valve so that the water closet will be properly flushed.

Assume now that service conditions prevail as shown in FIG. 1, with the water pressure on top of the diaphragm holding the flush valve seated, and since the pressures are balanced on both sides of the valve plug 40, the spring 44 holds it seated. Now should the water supply to the control valve inlet 21 fail, or the pressure appreciably drop, the valve plug 40 will be held closed upon its seat 41 by spring 44, as shown in FIG. 2, thereby preventing back flow and trapping the water between the control valve and the flush valve to maintain the pressure in the upper chamber 17 of the flush valve and hold the flush valve closed. When the water pressure is eventually restored in the supply pipe line, the valve plug 40 remains seated and normal conditions are reestablished. It is therefore seen that the valve plug 40 remains seated until the flush valve is operated whereupon it is opened by the inlet pressure and the pressure drop at the flush valve. The flush valve has not been forced open and no flooding condition can occur in the manner previously pointed out. In order to prevent binding action of the valve plug 40, the space 43 is vented by the passage 48 extending through the valve plug.

Although the control valve has been generally designed to quiet the water flow it has been found that the use of a wheel handle operating means 24, such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is conducive to some undesirable noise conditions. This is because the wheel handle is cup or bell-shaped, and being entirely supported by screw 25 to the valve body 20, acts as a resonator when high water pressures are flowing through the control valve. By the insertion of a cup-shaped washer 49 under the wheel handle 24 and on top of the bonnet 23, the bell-like noise is suppressed. This washer 49 is preferably made of some suitable spongelike plastic or rubber material and does not interfere with the turning of the wheel handle 24.

Referring now to the modification shown in FIG. 3, this illustrates a control valve having a screw driver adjusting means instead of a wheel handle. The threaded screw 26 is provided with a screw driver slot 51 and a protective cup-shaped cap 52 is threaded to the bonnet 23 as shown at 53. The valve plug 40 has its shank portion 42 provided with a relatively loose fit indicated at 54 around the valve stem 27. This loose fit permits escape of fluid from the pocket 43 and also enables the valve plug to better center itself upon its valve seat 41 when operated.

Most of the valve parts are constructed of plastic materials for purposes explained in the aforesaid US. Pat. No. 3,327,992 and other details of the present application not specifically described, may be had by reference to this prior patent.

We claim:

1. In a control valve comprising a body having inlet and outlet connections and a valve seat formed there between, a bonnet on said body, a valve plug in said body adapted to open and close upon said valve seat, a valve stem extending through said bonnet, said valve plug having a hollow shank portion receiving said valve stem and loosely slidable thereon, manual operating means for said valve stem to open or close said valve plug upon said valve seat, said manual operating means including nonrising stem means between said valve plug and said bonnet, and a spring between said valve plug and said valve stem for normally urging said valve plug towards said valve seat, whereby said valve plug also serves as a check valve.

2. In a control valve comprising a body having inlet and outlet connections and a valve seat formed around said inlet, a bonnet on said body, a valve stem supported in said bonnet, nonrising stem means between said valve stem and said bonnet, a hollow valve plug loosely slidable on the end of said valve stem and adapted to open and close upon said valve stem, a spring around said valve stem extending between said valve stem and said valve plug for normally urging said valve plug into engagement with said valve seat, inlet fluid flow forc' ing said valve plug off of said valve seat and upon reverse flow said valve plug closing upon said valve seat under control of said spring to serve as a check valve, and a manual operating means on said bonnet adapted to tightly close said valve plug upon said valve seat to shut off the fluid flow or to throttle the valve plug to regulate the flow rate through the control valve.

3. In a control valve comprising a valve body having an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat formed around said inlet, a bonnet on said body opposite said valve seat, a valve stem supported from said bonnet, nonrising valve stem means between said valve stem and said bonnet, a hollow valve plug loosely slidable from the end of said valve stem, a spring around said valve stem normally urging said valve plug into seating engagement with said valve seat in the absence of fluid flow from the inlet, at low pressure, or balanced pressure, normal fluid flow through said control valve forcing said valve plug off of said seat against the pressure of said spring, said valve stem being manually adjustable to control the opening of said valve plug to a value in accordance with the desired rate of fluid flow through said control valve, or shutting off the fluid flow, said valve plug automatically closing upon said valve seat upon reverse fluid flow through said control valve.

4. The control valve as claimed in claim 3, in which the valve plug has a hollow shank portion into which the end of the valve stem extends and in which in the absence of fluid flow, at low pressure or balanced pressure, the spring closes the valve plug upon the valve seat so the end of the valve stem is spaced from the bottom of the hollow shank portion.

5. The control valve as claimed in claim 3, in which the valve plug has a hollow shank portion into which the end of the valve stem extends, and in which the spring for urging the valve plug against the valve seat surrounds the shank portion and abuts the rear side of the valve plug.

6. The control valve as claimed in claim 3, in which the valve plug has a hollow shank portion into which the end of the valve stem extends, and in which the spring for urging the valve plug against the valve seat surrounds the shank portion, said valve stem being adjustable to regulate the fluid flow rate through the valve, such flow forcing said valve plug open from its valve seat to the regulated position in which the bottom of the hollow shank portion engages the lower end of the valve stem.

7. The control valve as claimed in claim 3, in which the valve plug is provided with a hollow shank portion receiving the valve stem, the shank portion being surrounded by the spring and the spring engaging the rear side of the valve plug, said valve plug having a flexible nose portion engaging said valve seat.

8. The control valve as claimed in claim 7, in which the valve seat is surrounded by an upstanding counter bore in which the valve plug is recessed but slightly spaced from the sidewalls of the counter bore.

9. The control valve as claimed in claim 6, in which the hollow shank portion of the valve plug is provided with an opening extending from the inside of the shank portion to the rear outside of said valve plug in order to release the pressure inside the shank portion and belowthe valve stem when the valve plug is opened from the valve seat.

10. The control valve as claimed in claim 6, in which the hollow shank portion of the valve plug surrounds the valve stem and is spaced therefrom so there is a loose fit between them. said loose flt and space enabling said valve plug to center itself upon its valve seat during throttle flow of fluid, and serving to relieve the pressure inside the hollow shank portion below the end of the stem when the valve plug is opened from its valve seat by the fluid pressure.

11. In a control valve comprising a valve body having an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat formed around said inlet, a bonnet on said body opposite said valve seat, a valve stem extending through said bonnet, nonrising stem means between said bonnet and said valve stem comprising interfitting lugs and slots whereby rotation of said valve stem is prevented while axial movement toward said valve seat is produced, a hollow valve plug having a shank portion loosely slidable from the end of said valve stem, a spring around said valve stem and shank portion urging said valve plug towards seating engagement with said valve seat in the absence of fluid flow, at low pressure, or balanced pressure, said valve stem being manually adjustable to control the position of said valve plug with respect to the fluid rate of flow desired, said adjustment also adapted to close said valve plug upon said valve seat to shut off the fluid flow, said valve plug also automatically closing upon said valve seat upon reverse fluid flow through said control valve, said valve plug arranged for slight rotary positioning of the shank portion with respect to said valve stem each time to seat upon different positions of said valve seat.

12. In a control valve, a body having an inlet and an outlet, a valve seat in said body and a valve plug in said body adapted to close on said seat and control water flow from the inlet to the outlet, a valve stem mounted in said body, said valve plug being slideable on said stern, spring means normally urging said valve plug to close on said seat, and means operable from outside said body to cause said valve stem to hold said valve plug in closing position on said seat.

13. The structure of claim 12 further characterized in that the means operable from outside said body variably position the valve stem withih the body to control movement of said valve plug relative to said seat. 

1. In a control valve comprising a body having inlet and outlet connections and a valve seat formed there between, a bonnet on said body, a valve plug in said body adapted to open and close upon said valve seat, a valve stem extending through said bonnet, said valve plug having a hollow shank portion receiving said valve stem and loosely slidable thereon, manual operating means for said valve stem to open or close said valve plug upon said valve seat, said manual operating means including nonrising stem means between said valve plug and said bonnet, and a spring between said valve plug and said valve stem for normally urging said valve plug towards said valve seat, whereby said valve plug also serves as a check valve.
 2. In a control valve comprising a body having inlet and outlet connections and a valve seat formed around said inlet, a bonnet on said body, a valve stem supported in said bonnet, nonrising stem means between said valve stem and said bonnet, a hollow valve plug loosely slidable on the end of said valve stem and adapted to open and close upon said valve stem, a spring around said valve stem extending between said valve stem and said valve plug for normally urging said valve plug into engagement with said valve seat, inlet fluid flow forcing said valve plug off of said valve seat and upon reverse flow said valve plug closing upon said valve seat under control of said spring to serve as a check valve, and a manual operating means on said bonnet adapted to tightly close said valve plug upon said valve seat to shut off the fluid flow or to throttle the valve plug to regulate the flow rate through the control valve.
 3. In a control valve comprising a valve body having an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat formed around said inlet, a bonnet on said body opposite said valve seat, a valve stem supported from said bonnet, nonrising valve stem means between said valve stem and said bonnet, a hollow valve plug loosely slidable from the end of said valve stem, a spring around said valve stem normally urging said valve plug into seating engagement with said valve seat in the absence of fluid flow from the inlet, at low pressure, or balanced pressure, normal fluid flow through said control valve forcing said valve plug oFf of said seat against the pressure of said spring, said valve stem being manually adjustable to control the opening of said valve plug to a value in accordance with the desired rate of fluid flow through said control valve, or shutting off the fluid flow, said valve plug automatically closing upon said valve seat upon reverse fluid flow through said control valve.
 4. The control valve as claimed in claim 3, in which the valve plug has a hollow shank portion into which the end of the valve stem extends and in which in the absence of fluid flow, at low pressure or balanced pressure, the spring closes the valve plug upon the valve seat so the end of the valve stem is spaced from the bottom of the hollow shank portion.
 5. The control valve as claimed in claim 3, in which the valve plug has a hollow shank portion into which the end of the valve stem extends, and in which the spring for urging the valve plug against the valve seat surrounds the shank portion and abuts the rear side of the valve plug.
 6. The control valve as claimed in claim 3, in which the valve plug has a hollow shank portion into which the end of the valve stem extends, and in which the spring for urging the valve plug against the valve seat surrounds the shank portion, said valve stem being adjustable to regulate the fluid flow rate through the valve, such flow forcing said valve plug open from its valve seat to the regulated position in which the bottom of the hollow shank portion engages the lower end of the valve stem.
 7. The control valve as claimed in claim 3, in which the valve plug is provided with a hollow shank portion receiving the valve stem, the shank portion being surrounded by the spring and the spring engaging the rear side of the valve plug, said valve plug having a flexible nose portion engaging said valve seat.
 8. The control valve as claimed in claim 7, in which the valve seat is surrounded by an upstanding counter bore in which the valve plug is recessed but slightly spaced from the sidewalls of the counter bore.
 9. The control valve as claimed in claim 6, in which the hollow shank portion of the valve plug is provided with an opening extending from the inside of the shank portion to the rear outside of said valve plug in order to release the pressure inside the shank portion and below the valve stem when the valve plug is opened from the valve seat.
 10. The control valve as claimed in claim 6, in which the hollow shank portion of the valve plug surrounds the valve stem and is spaced therefrom so there is a loose fit between them, said loose fit and space enabling said valve plug to center itself upon its valve seat during throttle flow of fluid, and serving to relieve the pressure inside the hollow shank portion below the end of the stem when the valve plug is opened from its valve seat by the fluid pressure.
 11. In a control valve comprising a valve body having an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat formed around said inlet, a bonnet on said body opposite said valve seat, a valve stem extending through said bonnet, nonrising stem means between said bonnet and said valve stem comprising interfitting lugs and slots whereby rotation of said valve stem is prevented while axial movement toward said valve seat is produced, a hollow valve plug having a shank portion loosely slidable from the end of said valve stem, a spring around said valve stem and shank portion urging said valve plug towards seating engagement with said valve seat in the absence of fluid flow, at low pressure, or balanced pressure, said valve stem being manually adjustable to control the position of said valve plug with respect to the fluid rate of flow desired, said adjustment also adapted to close said valve plug upon said valve seat to shut off the fluid flow, said valve plug also automatically closing upon said valve seat upon reverse fluid flow through said control valve, said valve plug arranged for slight rotary positioning of the shank portion with respect to said valve stem each time To seat upon different positions of said valve seat.
 12. In a control valve, a body having an inlet and an outlet, a valve seat in said body and a valve plug in said body adapted to close on said seat and control water flow from the inlet to the outlet, a valve stem mounted in said body, said valve plug being slideable on said stem, spring means normally urging said valve plug to close on said seat, and means operable from outside said body to cause said valve stem to hold said valve plug in closing position on said seat.
 13. The structure of claim 12 further characterized in that the means operable from outside said body variably position the valve stem within the body to control movement of said valve plug relative to said seat. 